From the archive, 22 July 1944: German revolt is "all over", Berlin claims

Berlin claimed last night that the revolt against Hitler is over. The German News Agency said:

"It is officially announced in Berlin that the plot lasted no longer than six hours from the moment the attempt was made to when the last conspirator was detained. The attempt of the small clique of conspirators to seize power in Germany was nipped in the bud without difficulty, without having to resort to concentrating formations of forces. Not a single drop of blood except that of the traitors has been spilled.

"Certain consequences of the miscarried attempt on the life of the Führer are inevitable. In particular, the totalitarian principle of government will be developed still further. The ruthless extermination of all assassins, saboteurs, and defeatists, no matter who they are and from where they come is demanded by national self-preservation."

Frontier reports received early today suggest, however, that the crisis is by no means over. Beyond the statement that General Beck, a former Chief of the German General Staff, was one of the conspirators and was "no longer among the living," Berlin yesterday gave little news of the situation, but last night the German News Agency was allowed to issue various stories.

One was that the conspirators had confessed to being "in touch with an enemy Power," and that a plot to seize the Government buildings in Berlin had been frustrated by Goebbels. The only other conspirator named so far—he has been executed—is Colonel Stauffenberg, but the vague statement is repeated that the attempt was made by some retired generals with the assistance of a handful of officers in important positions in the Home Army.

Von Kluge, German Commander-in-Chief in the West, yesterday issued an Order of the Day to the troops in the invasion area urging the absolute necessity for loyalty to Hitler. He is the second German Army commander to make an official statement on the assassination attempt. General Falkenhorst, commanding forces in Norway, was the first Army chief to comment. Field Marshal von Weichs, Commander-in-Chief in the Balkans, yesterday sent a message to Hitler pledging his loyalty and that of his officers. No message from any of the generals engaged on the Russian front has yet been reported.

An unconfirmed report in the Stockholm press yesterday said the attempt on Hitler's life took place during the usual afternoon conference at Obersalzburg. The explosion was caused by a time bomb. Hitler escaped because he arrived two minutes late and was standing at the doorway of the conference room when the bomb went off.

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